The Casual Vacancy
discussion
Ask J.K. Rowling a Question About The Casual Vacancy
I noticed that each of your story has another side.Besides the main activity, in parallel can be recognized ulterior motives of another message that carries the novel. Am I right?
How did the events at the end of the book (Krystal and her brother's death) impact the rest of the charactes beyond what we saw?On the long run, who do you think improves their life? Who changes for the worse?
When you started the Harry Potter series, most of your audiences were children or young adults, who have now grown up into the Casual Vacancy demographic, have you grown along with your readers as well??
Was there anything you found especially challenging when writing The Casual Vacancy?
Do you prefer this "small town politics" type of writing over the fantasy type of writing you did with Harry Potter? Do you plan on writing any more young adult novels, or do you want to continue writing for a more mature audience?
I read Casual Vacancy as soon as it came out and it left me feeling uncomfortable and yet more aware of social problems and injustices. Kudos for doing both with a disturbing story and breaking away from juvenile genre. Was the death of a child planned when you started writing or did this plot twist occur in the course of writing the story?
Ann wrote: "Who does Neville marry?"Hannah Abbott
As I read the Harry Potter series and The Casual Vacancy, I found characters who were on journeys to discover who that who they are (HP--Harry, Neville, and other; TCV--Krystal}. How would you describe your journey to discovering yourself?
While talking about The Casual Vacancy, you once said that "This is a book about responsibility." My question is: As a writer, have you ever felt the weight of responsibility towards your audience? If so, what kind of responsibility?
Why was it important for you to address social issues; fictionalized in the "pretty little town of Pagford? The themes of heroin addiction, child abuse; self-inflicted harm; domestic abuse; poverty; politics in all of its petty differences; cyberspace; and let's not forget rape. The rape of Krystal Weedon, who might've gone on to a better life if Barry Fairbrother hadn't died, so suddenly. "He had come to their house and talked to Terri about Krystal and rowing." Krystal is a complex character, having had no direction from the time she was born. Her mother, Terri, a woman who can't get off the drug habit, who can't get off Obbo, her drug dealer lover?; who rapes Krystal when Mom is not around. Where is Dad? Krystal doesn't know who her biological father is, when at Nana Cath's funeral, Terri says, You don't even know who the father is, do yeh, yer whore? A care taker for her brother Robbie, but loses track of him in the end. I feel that Krystal is the one character that takes in all the issues, and again, wonder why, these themes generated such fury in The Casual Vacancy.
I want to know more about Krystal and why she truly pushed herself not just ot get away from her mother, but what she wanted to be if she (well lived) so my question is, why did you kill her?
Which character on The Casual Vacancy is your favourite and why? And which HP character do you miss the most?
Do you prefer writing for children or adults?
Were the events or characters in the book inspired by people that you knew or had seen in passing, particularly the characters of Terri and Krystal Weedon? Did you personally have any of the experiences the characters had?
Was this a book, like the Harry Potter books, where the story was there waiting to get out, or did you have to stop and think about what this book was about? Also was it harder writing for adults or do you even think about it that way?
Did you fear that The Casual Vacancy would not be as successful as Harry Potter?. How would you convince a Harry Potter fan to read The Casual Vacancy?Keep up the good work!
Thank you!
How do you think about the idea of the kids from The Casual Vacancy being the real protagonist of the book?
Though Barry sees everyone, few of them seem to see Barry. His notion of justice separates him from people--his own wife even--as much as it unifies. Though he ministers to his enemies, he is misunderstood by his friends. And while the council administration dehumanizes people, Barry seems to press for values greater than the humanity around him: the light of god. Heroism seems much lonelier than Harry Potter where a unity of friends saves a community. Do you see a way the two can be reconciled or are they fundamentally different?
Of all the characters in the book, which would you personally relate with best & why?
What do you think Barry would have thought of what happened after his death? :)
Rate your own book ( the casual vacancy )On a scale of 10
When you were writing The Casual Vacancy, were there any moments that monumental?
Is there anything that you regret in writing Casual Vacancy? Any unfinished storylines or character POV you wish you'd included? If you had it to write again, would you still have the same finished work?
Every character in The Casual Vacancy seem to have good sides and bad sides except Barry Fairbrother - does the song Umbrella by Rihanna, where, as when it is played in Barry Fairbrother's funeral, the congregation "filed slowly out of the church, trying not to walk in time to the beat of the song" show that the inhabitants of Pagford are fully aware of the loathsome undercurrent and tension lurking in the town, but is unwilling to admit to it, except for the case of Barry Fairbrother and later Krystal, which is why many villagers vent out their frustration with one another through "The Ghost of Barry Fairbrother?", as they are too afraid to say it to their faces? Thank you, and I really enjoyed The Casual Vacancy!
Single mothers played some major roles in The Casual Vacancy. How did being a single mother yourself influence Kay, Terri, or Mary (or their relationships with their children), if at all?
What made you decide to go in such a different direction than the Harry Potter series? Was it because, when you got to the end, you just didn't enjoy finishing Harry's story as much as you thought you would, or because you just wanted to try something different? What is the story behind choosing such a different path?
What difficulties as an author did you encounter in writing outside of such a highly successful format/ genre?
How hard was it to make the switch from young adult to adult for the genre. After spending so much time trying to keep children in character and go inside their minds, was it difficult to process how an adult thinks and their thought processes while writing?
i hate umbridge what happened to her?
Was it hard for you to branch away from the Harry Potter series and write something different than what people know you for?
You create characters that seem so real that it's difficult to not go on an emotional roller coaster with them. Are you ever torn when deciding what roads your characters will go down in life or who will die?
After so many years stuck (for good or evil) in Harry Potter's world, how do you feel about the acceptance of your public of the book and your new side as a writer? Can we expect anything else from HP world or you have definitly moved on and The Casual Vacancy was just the new beginning?
What inspired you to write The Casual Vacancy and do you feel some Harry Potter related incidents should go in the story?
I absolutely loved The Casual Vacancy and much like Harry Potter it left me wanting more than what was there on the page so my question is do you know what happened to your characters after the end of the book like any extra details like if Sukhvinder cut again or Samantha still fancied her daughter's boyband or Howard ever mentioning Shirley with the needle? If you could tell us more that would be great. Thanks again for writing!
How was the writing process for The Casual Vacancy different, as an adult novel, from the writing process for Harry Potter? Also, were you pleased with the general response received from the book? I heard an interview where you said you didn't really care about the response you got, it was more about writing a book you wanted to write. Do you feel you accomplished that mission?
I have no questions, only this:You gave me life with Harry Potter. You took it away with The Casual Vacancy.
I have heard of possibilities of A Harry Potter prequel series. Would love for this to be true. Any plans on HP prequel? Will you write other series books?
I wondered if ever during the process of writing the Casual Vacancy, did you have any writing blocks that lasted for a day or more, or ever had one at all. Also, I was very impressed with the book, and the characters were amazingly real, and instense.
Through the wonderfully rich details in the Harry Potter books, there emerges an underlying message about humanity and behavioral health, though couched in terms that encourage children (and adults) to read. Though more serious in nature, "The Casual Vacancy" seems to revisit that message but more openly (wonderfully clever.) Is it true, then that there are parallels in your writings for children and adults and is that enlightened perspective on the ups and downs of human behavior part of what inspires your writing?
Were you happy while writing the Casual Vacancy? Why?
At what point in writing The Casual Vacancy did you feel most connected to the story and its characters?
How did you feel about some of the early criticism of The Casual Vacancy? Did you think it was mostly those who just wanted more Harry Potter? Or did you feel like it was difficult transitioning to a different type of book?
George R.R. Martin was severely criticized by his fans for going on vacation while they were waiting for his next book. What was the funniest or most unusual impatient fan or fan story you had after finishing The Casual Vacancy?
What do you think you've learned or improved on from writing The Casual Vacancy? or maybe - How did you use what you learned from writing Harry Potter to write The Casual Vacancy?
What did you hope to accomplish with The Casual Vacancy, and do you think you achieved that? In other words, do you have a purpose in your books, particularly the most recent, or is it just pure entertainment?
What is the most important lesson you learned while writing The Casual Vacancy?
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What was the hardest obstacle to overcome in writing The Casual Vacancy?